Automatic contact distributors are specialized systems designed to match incoming requests for service, for example a telephone call or an e-mail, with a resource that is able to provide that service, for example a human contact center agent. Automatic contact distributors generally perform one or more of the following functions: (i) recognize and answer incoming contacts; (ii) review database(s) for instructions on what to do with a particular contact; (iii) using these instructions, identify an appropriate agent and queue the contact, often times providing a prerecorded message; and (iv) connect the contact to an agent as soon as the agent is available.
Agents associated with automatic contact distributors indicate their availability for handling contacts by going into a “ready” state. Similarly, agents indicate that they are not available by going into a “not ready” (NR) state. Agents may transition between the ready and NR states by pressing an appropriate button on their Agent Desktop or by pressing a pre-programmed button on their internet protocol (IP) or other phone.
In the event that an agent steps away from his desk and forgets to logoff or transfer to the NR state, the automatic contact distributor may present a contact to the agent. To prevent contacts from being stuck with an agent who is unavailable, the automatic contact distributor is programmed to automatically transition the agent to the NR state, withdraw the contact from the agent and transfer it to the next available agent. In such a situation, the agent may not be aware that his state in the system has transitioned to the NR state.